


Angel of Peace

by Gelasia_Kidd



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Angst is real, Aunt 'Undie', Character deaths hurt especially when you love them, F/F, F/M, Fandom is real, Female Frisk, Frisk is main character, Get your tissues, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, No More Resets, Really? - Freeform, Suicidal Thoughts, Surface mostly, Toby Fox is a penname, Unca Pappy is the best, family and romantic love involved
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-01 01:20:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6495232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gelasia_Kidd/pseuds/Gelasia_Kidd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One slip on the part of Chara, and a desperate act, has Frisk wresting control of the resets away from the demon possessing her mind. </p>
<p>The next reset starts too early, in a place she didn't expect. </p>
<p>Yet still, she has the DETERMINATION to save everyone. Even if it takes her whole life.. even, if he never forgives her.</p>
<p>-- A.N. I made Frisk female for this story for the plot line. I enjoy writing neutral Frisk but I have no flinch response to using other genders either. </p>
<p>Frisk is considered selectively mute, and the plot has her speaking due to history. </p>
<p>Sans is a traumatized skeleton but it gets better. It gets much worse first though. I cried writing this story. Get tissues.</p>
<p>First post here, rest of mine is on another site. Hope it interest you, and I'm testing the waters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Soul Shatters

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale. This will be the only disclaimer for the whole story; it applies to each chapter.
> 
> A.N. The story is done, completely. It won't change, and I won't give spoilers, and for that I apologize at the grief it may cause. You will probably cry. More than once. I did, writing it. But if you have the DETERMINATION to see it through.. you will feel rewarded.
> 
> I will update once a day, and I'm still sorting out when chapters start and end- It's really one big blurb at the moment.
> 
> So WARNING: There will be various warnings at the beginning of each chapter. Some chapters may have triggers. This one is suicide .

**Prologue: Soul Shatters**

Frisk woke slowly, her soul aching at the thought of another reset. The last hundreds resets had been hell.. especially the recent one. She lay there, and she prayed, and remembered.

**0000**

Another lifetime of killing them all, another painful lifetime where she'd fought with your best friend at the end of it..the one she loved. She was so damned tired of it all. She wasn't a kid again, not really. She had lived hundreds of years by now.. she wasn't even sure she was worthy of the title of person anymore.

It didn't really end at the Underground, afterall. That demon who lived in her body didn't let her rest there. She killed, and killed and killed. There was nothing left. She was unable to be killed herself, and she would load saves to kill over and over. Nothing lived, except maybe a hardy bugs and fish at these ends.

She didn't stop with the knife anymore, Frisk remembered, the demon would go onto other weapons. And while blood never really satisfied that demon anymore, nuclear winters did. That ash was so beautiful..

Frisk never wanted to see it again. On the last run that demon realized that Frisk's despair was fading. Frisk was becoming numb to the horrors.. the demon couldn't have that. So in the hall of judgement, just as the fight started, she gave Frisk control back.

Her eyes warm hazel again, she looked at her hands, watching them shake as she dropped the knife.

_Dustdustdust_ **BLOODBLOODBLOOD**

And she _shrieked_. "Getoutofmegetoutofme," Frisk babbled, scratching at her skin manically, the blood rivelets dripping down her arms.

The flash of movement near her startled her, falling to the side. A bone swung past her, with deadened, hopeless, furious eyes. Frisk knew she had done this. She wasn't strong enough to fight past that demon, and everyone paid. Yet, she selfishly begged.

"Sans, help, its i-" she was not able to finish as another wave battered against her. The curseful LOVE that had been gathered allowed her to survive the blow.

"why would i ever help a filthy demon like you?" Sans snarled, the grin on his face looking mad. There was light back in his eyes.. it was angry, but it wasn't dead. Frisk was glad.

"I'm sorry, S-" another wave of bones battered her.

"Pl-" another wave of bones battered her.

The laughing in her head grew, and she realized she didn't have much time before the demon took her control away, and Frisk couldn't look at Sans anymore.

"You'll never forgive me, huh?" she mumbled.

"nope," Sans said, gleefully surrounding Frisk with bones.

Frisk could feel Chara slipping back, even as she thought the name. Chara would dodge, and kill her best friend again. Frisk grabbed the knife, and Sans stood there, hand raised. He watched as the faux-child looked at the knife with blank eyes.

It looked like she was unsure how to hold it- turning it over in her hand. Then Frisk made some reverse grip, and with a great motion..

..drove it into her stomach. Her body arched backwards in pain, as she fell backwards. Sans continued to hold his arm up, but his fingers twitched, as if unsure. Frisk raised her hand from her stomach, and seeing the stomach fluids among the blood, closed her eyes frustratedly. She had missed her heart.

She had seen the demon inflict this kind of wound before. It was slow, an agonizing- one of her favorite stab wounds on humans, almost as fantastic as killing everyone Frisk loved over and over again.

Chara was going to take control again, and eat the pie she had been saving to torment Asgore with. For dramatic effect she had smothered it in Toriel's ashes... With a painful gasp, she rolled over onto her side and looked up at Sans with a pitiful look on her face.

"S-sans.." she choked out. "C-cut off my arms and legs. She going to take my body again and I won't let her hurt you again."

The blue light faded from Sans eyes, and the bones clattered around her.

"..what?"

"Please Sans! Hurry! Just.. don't kill me," she trailed off. "Cautarize the limb wounds, and let me bleed out from my own injury. It might stop this!"

The light in his eyes glowed and faded as his expressions slipped between agony and delight. Delight covered his face at last, maddened, as he slashed her arms off, using his magic to sear the wounds closed.

Frisk bit through her lip, trying not to scream. It hurt, it really hurt. Tears ran down her cheeks as she looked up at Sans and saw none of her Sans left. So she said the only thing she could.

"Thank you," she sobbed. She couldn't even sign I love you to him now, like she had done in the first lifetime, before he built herself up enough to talk. So as the red glow started slipping up her eyes from the bottom, she said her final words.

"I miss you a skele-ton," Frisk told Sans, her eyes starting to slip from her natural brown. "I lov-" and the glow was fully there, and Frisk was shoved away again.

**"HAHAHAHA!"** Chara cackled madly. **"YOU THINK YOU'VE STOPPED ME, FRISK?!"** Usually Chara talked to her mentally, but Chara's glee at this agony made her slip. **"I'LL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN! AND AGAIN! YOU WILL NEVER STOP!"**

An unholy screech left Frisk, and one eye was red, and the other was brown. "No!" Frisk screamed. "I won't let you!"

**"YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"** Chara cackled.

"I WILL!" Frisk promised. "I WON'T LET THEM DOWN AGAIN!"

The world was flood with red, as Frisk's _**DETERMINATION**_ came back, shoving and pushing at Chara's essence. And for the first time, Frisk grabbed control. For the first time, Frisk reset.


	2. Stranger Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This reset ends up in an unusual place and things aren't what it seems. Moving forward is the only thing you can do.

_A.N. Bit of a hopeful chapter. Some angst, and a lot of comfort. Expect some oddities._

_**Warnings:** _ _Past mentions of violence and implied abuse._

**Ch. 1: Stranger Days**

Frisk finally opened her eyes, and it took her muddled, anguished mind, several minutes before processing what she was seeing, and what she wasn't. The white, somewhat familiar ceiling above her, wasn't the hole above the Ruins she expected.

She sat up carefully, looking around, taking in the sight of the room, bewilderingly. It was.. what was this? She slipped out of the bed, looking at the crayon pictures on the wall. She.. remembered this. Why..?

She looked at the huge, childish calendar, touching the Velcro shape on the date. This was .. she looked at the date. This was when she was 6, several years into her speech therapy. Before they had given up on her, and thrown her into the system.

The special needs orphanage was a bittersweet memory, and she didn't realize it then, but now, with an older mind, she understood the words that had been said then. The funding had been cut back, and they were having to keep only the worst off children.. and those trying to get better.

It was after one particularly bad foster parent that she escaped to Mt. Ebbot. It wasn't actually all that far from the orphanage, but that was luck on her part. It wasn't even labeled, since it was covered with trees to the point they believed it was more of a hill than anything else.

Her hands shook as she stepped backwards. Was it all just a horrible dream? Why would she remember all these things? Not only memories, but the knowledge, even just the school knowledge.

She remembered growing old, with her family, her monster family, by her side. That had probably been why Chara had taken control.. Frisk knew she wouldn't be able to stay by Sans forever. She loved him desperately, but wouldn't inflict that on him, ever. And in hospice, surrounded by her family, she gave up. Her determination failed, as she couldn't even tell her best friend she loved him in her final breath.

Her lips twisted. That wasn't going to be an option now. If dying would just reset things again..That was a thought she didn't want to think about very hard. As she flopped down on the bed, something poked into her.

She stood, and looked where she sat. The haunting heart locket lay there, and with shaking hands she picked it up, looking at the image with pained eyes. She clasped it shut quickly, and shoved it into the drawer.

Frisk didn't want to get rid of the last bit of her memories of the Underground, but she was terrified of that locket. A knock on her door startled her, and she stubbed her toe on the edge of the bed.

"Frisk, sweetie," the caretaker, Marlene if she remembered correctly, called for her. "It's time for your special lessons." The door opened, and Frisk, was rubbing her toe with one hand.

"Oh Frisk," Marlene fussed, picking her up and setting her on the bed. "What did you do to yourself?"

Hesitantly, Frisk brought her hands up. She hadn't signed in awhile, but her memory of the language didn't fade, and her hands in this age were familiar with the motions.

'Hit foot bed,' Frisk signed. 'Startled knock'

"Oh dear, I'm sorry sweetie," Marlene cooed. "Does it hurt much?" Frisk waved hand in a so-so motion, before pinching her fingers to say "just a little."

"Ow," Frisk said audibly.. And Marlene's face lit up. "Frisk! You did it!"

Frisk was confused for a moment, before she realized she had said a word. She touched her throat, and watched Marlene stare at her with wonder.

"I t-" Frisk started, before coughing terribly hard. Her throat was not ready to say her first words so clearly. Marlene rushed out, bringing back a glass of water, which Frisk sipped gratefully.

"Sweetheart," Marlene told her hesitantly. "I'm so happy to hear you, but let's wait for your special lessons, okay? He's got special ways to talk to make it less owwie."

Frisk nodded reluctantly, and stood, taking her hand. She ignored the feeling of someone watching through her eyes in silent bewilderment.

0000

The years passed. Chara watched quietly from the back of her head, rarely letting a noise out. The first time Frisk dreamed of Chara's past, she woke up in a cold sweat. The second time, she sat there thinking about it. Every week at least one memory was revealed. Terribly sad memories.

A year later, Frisk was talking full sentences. On the anniversary of her first year on this reset, she opened the locket and looked the image with new eyes. A happy Asriel and a smiling but scared Chara stood in a close embrace. She seemed to look out at the camera with..

Frisk froze as a feeling not her own flashed through her body, and a memory of Chara looking at Toriel in hesitance filled her. 'No one is this nice..they are going to hurt me just like..' and the memory cut off.

And the first sentence Chara said since the reset was heard. **"..I don't like this."** Frisk couldn't tell if she or Chara was feeling this fear.

That night she dreamed of Asriel's death, and the fear Chara had when Asriel let himself die and Chara's soul be destroyed along side his. Betrayed, in the end.

And that morning Frisk woke up with a new perspective. She decided for the first time, that she was going to do her best. She may not be able to rescue them from the Underground, but she was going to learn how to keep them safe. Even if it meant being alone till the end of time.

It was a year later, when the 8 year old Frisk was half way through highschool, when the final stretch of memories hit. Frisk was far enough ahead, by a long shot, that the principal allowed her a week off, if she kept up with her work.

So she started drawing. One of Chara's happy memories, holding Toriel's hand as they walked through the not-yet-ruined Ruins. Frisk was incredibly hurt and bitter.. but it wasn't at Chara anymore. It was circumstance, now.

Frisk realized she had lived a full, happy life, once. She had grown up, and Chara.. hadn't. And it was time to be the adult.

 **"..why..?"** Chara mumbled in the back of Frisk's head. Frisk sat still, mentally and physically, for a long moment. And then, closing her eyes, visualized Chara, and sweeping Chara into a hug.

 **"WHY?!"** Chara cried in that mental image. Frisk could feel their SOUL being battered, but held on to Chara, hurt heart hurting for what that child could have been. Their HP fell, point by point. She had 5 HP left when Chara's blows became soft breezes, and sobbing filled their mind.

 **"..why?"** the demon, no, child, whimpered. She could have been destroyed by Frisk in that moment, but Frisk couldn't bring herself to do it.. even after all the pain. The hundreds of years of death. It.. wasn't..her. That wasn't who she was.

So Frisk did what she could. She was slightly smaller than Chara currently, so she kissed Chara on the cheek, and gave her mercy. She spared Chara.

It was a few days before she went back to school, and she slept through most of it, weak. It was a frantic month of tests and studying, then. And so, a month later, she graduated. It was time to grow up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chara, to me, was always a child with too much power and no soul to provide morals. Lashing out at the world that hurt her was the only thing she could do. 
> 
> Evil is a term that cannot truly be put on a child who cannot know better. Did she do evil things? Yes. Was she ever held accountable, and given a good role model? No, not really.
> 
> I want to believe that somewhere in there is a little girl who just needs to learn right from wrong- Any children has a hard enough time learning that, let alone one without a conscious.


	3. Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saying goodbye is never easy, but life moves on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting real now. Lotsa angst coming. Don't give up! Stay DETERMINED!  
> =Warning=: Character death and overall sads.

Chapter 2: Goodbye  
  
When Frisk was 11, she had just completed her associates degree and was moving on to medical school. She was tired, and her own memories filled her head. She missed them so much..  
  
A year ago, she had finally proven herself capable of being emancipated. They considered her a genius, but she really wasn't. Frisk was just horribly DETERMINED to make this work.  
  
So she took a break, and under a pen-name, began to write a book.. It was called _Undertale_ , and it was a multi part young adult novel, with sporadic illustrations she drew to the best of her ability.

  
She used the pen-name _Toby Fox_ , as she started publishing the books, trying to share her world with others. But she didn't expect the popularity to sweep through the world. The fandom was insane.. Her face turned beet red at some of the fan made stuff out there.  
  
She was never going to get that out of her head now. And it had to happen when puberty kicked in!   
  
Chara was communicating, on and off, and spent a lot of time equally laughing and going EW each time Frisk found some of this stuff. That was one thing about having a child inside your head.  
  
And Chara really was turning into a child. One of the flashback gave her the memory of Chara's birth-date. And every year, without fail, she would buy a chocolate cake and allow Chara to feel her senses as she ate it. It was an expression of trust, one that thankfully, never broke.   
  
When Frisk hesitantly brought up the topic, there was a huge embarrassed flush through Chara's emotions. **"..idiot.. if I killed everyone, no one would bake me cake."**   
  
From then on, twice a week Frisk would eat something chocolate and let Chara taste it. Once a month she would block out Chara from her head, a ability discovered and allowed when Chara realized this puberty thing wasn't going to end and only get worse.. and practice baking.  
  
On Chara's next birthday, she watched Frisk bake her a amazing, chef worthy cake, with shaved dutch chocolate over a thick chocolate syrup.  
  
And Chara felt joy for the first time since she died. Because for some, bizarre reason, even at risk to herself, Frisk kept showing her compassion.   
  
Another two years past, and Frisk was 14. Undertale had become so large.. Frisk had composed pieces of music  that reminded her of each of her friends, and was working on the last one. A long version of the music box..  
  
Chara watched quietly, as Frisk composed the song. She wasn't unaware that Frisk was avoiding that mountain she wanted to go to, so bad. She also knew that while Frisk had forgiven her, she had never forgotten.   
  
She never wanted to risk that Chara could backslide, and her friends would die all over again. So, her birthday coming up, she talked to Frisk, instead of snarking, as she would an older sister, even a mother figure.   
  
Chara ate her cake, closed her eyes, and said the hardest thing she had ever vocalized.  
  
 **"Frisk,"** Chara spoke, in a subdued manner.  
  
"Yes, Cherry?" Frisk said, a smile on her face. Frisk tried to smile a lot, like he always had. She made bad jokes, would spend at least one day a week totally lazy, and had a large sock collection.   
  
Frisk didn't know that Chara felt everything Frisk felt, even still, and the longing anguish no longer made Chara happy.  
  
 **"You need to go home,"** Chara told Frisk. Frisk froze, putting the plate she had been washing down, and her smile grew wider as she shut her eyes, so similar to Sans expression. "But sweetie, we are home."  
  
 **"No.. we aren't,"** Chara said. Her voice was very very quiet now, and a a mournful tone that Frisk never heard from Chara vibrated through her SOUL.   
  
There was a long, tense moment of mutual pain, before Chara did the most selfless thing she had ever done before. She gave Frisk HOPE.  
  
 **"I love you Mom,"** Chara whispered. **"Goodbye.."** And Frisk felt the hands she always had lingering on her shoulders.. let go, and drift away.  
  
 **00000000000000000000**  
  
Chara never returned, and when Frisk was about to turn 15, she decided to take a sabbatical. She packed up all her books, a bunch of travel photo books, a 4G phone with a plug in solar charger, and the biggest variety of history she could.   
  
Her plan was to come back once a week, to restock, bath, and take care of home necessities. It was ironic.. the same world that had made it so hard for monsters to live with humans, idolized them now, and that idolization gave her millions of dollars she never expected, when previously they were frequently overcharged and abused.  
  
She didn't know what to do...she wasn't even sure she could see it. Nobody else had, after-all, and the barrier was in an easily accessible location. With the locket around her neck, she took her super full backpack stuck in the side car, she carefully drove her motorcycle to the small garage at the base.  
  
She had bought the whole location, originally just government owned unclaimed land. It had cut her fortunes in half, but that wasn't going to stop her. They were going to tear it down for a highway, but the money she spent on it allowed them to go around the mountain instead.   
  
And so Frisk had no regrets. As she pulled in, she pat the motorcycles seat fondly, looking around. The garage was empty, and really did have more room than she thought. The young lady decided then she could probably put more supplies here, and not have to worry about lugging it back and forth as much.. maybe a shelf with some tea, and some books, and.. She shrugged, her mind out of ideas at the moment.  
  
She was excited, but so very scared. Slipping on her backpack, she locked up the garage and started up the mountain. All she could think of was ..  
  
As she hit the winding path that led to the ledge overlooking the barrier, she was almost afraid to turn, what she would see. Would the barrier even be visible..?  
  
She turned, and sighed in a painful explosion of relief. It WAS visible, and shimmered with a rainbow over glass, like quartz. Still, if Frisk focused just right, the barrier wasn't distracting. It was fairly deep in the cave, though, and she felt saddened by that.  
  
How long had they been tortured with the view of the world just out of reach? She pulled out her electric lantern, and walked in carefully. Until she was sure of her reception, she wasn't going to make any further moves.   
  
Frisk wasn't going to fall through the barrier. She had too much she wanted to say, and Asgore would kill her on sight. So standing two yards away, she started yelling.  
  
"KING ASGORE! KING ASGORE!" she called, for hours. Her throat began to go hoarse, and then, when the sun set, she couldn't speak any longer. Her hands shook in weariness, and she carefully spread out her sleeping bag, pulling out her licensed Sans doll.   
  
She looked at its white eyes and chuckled, ignoring her raw voice. All things aside, as far as the fan items go, that was one thing she was glad she allowed. She rolled her eyes at the creativity and perverseness of people. The only things she had ever really sued for, were when they tried to make Undertale sex toys..  
  
The rest of it though, seeing it around made her feel less.. she rubbed her thumb over Sans teeth and chuckled again.. bonely. Even though it was weird, especially the cosplays. That it only took a half a year for an Undertale convention to start up bewildered her, but touched her heart. Her friends were loved,  even if they would never know it.  
  
She knew there would be hundreds of souls that would come to break the barrier, but it was a suicidal and romantic notion, and she didn't think she could ever be the one to cause another's death again.  
  
She curled up, dimmed the lantern, and went to sleep. Heavy footsteps made her slowly slip away, and she looked up to the barrier, easily seeing the large King looking down at her with an unreadable expression.   
  
It wasn't the first time she had a dream like this, her loved ones looking down, and judging her. Still feeling like she was asleep, she mumbled.  
  
"..Dad..?" and slowly drifted back to sleep.  
  
When she woke up and saw the footprints in the soil around the barrier, she knew it hadn't been a dream. She hoped.. But the days past, and no one came. 


	4. Home is Where the Heart is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting is hard.

When she woke up and saw the footprints in the soil around the barrier, she knew it hadn't been a dream. She hoped.. But the days past, and no one came.

The end of the week came, and her food ran out, so with a heavy heart, she stood. On a whim, she pushed the locket through the barrier. It was a scary test, because what if her hand got stuck? But as she pulled her hand back through the barrier, she realized if she kept the majority of her body- and her SOUL, outside the barrier could pull out.

Her mind chewed on that thought, as she left her stuff behind, covered it with a tarp so no animal could mess with it, just in case, and went back home. Taking a shower had never felt so great. She picked up some cough drops from her medicine cabinet, along with some tylenol. Yelling -hurt-.

On her way out, she opened the closet, to get her jacket. She hadn't realized the weather was going to be so cold! The jacket was a feminine version of Sans she had gotten from a tailor.. she knew she had problems, but she wanted to capture as much of what his love felt like any moment she could.

She would never have it again, after-all. And she didn't deserve it.

As she pulled her jacket out, her fingers brushed against her old portable keyboard. It only took a second of musing before she lay her jacket on the sofa and pulled it out. It was really an old, obsolete thing. It couldn't make the music go in any digital form required, so it was more of a toy now than anything else.

But Frisk closed her eyes, thinking of how quiet and lonely the cave was. There weren't even drips that the normal cavern had, and the magic seemed to prevent echoing. Well, the keyboard did have a low power requirement...and if she got a converter on her way out, she could use the solar charger.

0000

The locket was gone, but no one came.

Sitting in front of the barrier, just a yard away this time, she sat the keyboard down and pulled out her music sheet book, and she started working on the two songs she never wanted to touch before.

The first song was the most painful.. the music that represented the failure she made with Sans, his righteous anger, and the desertion of hope.

The other she had made a promise to never publish, so never had the need.. It was Mettaton's song, Death by Glamour. She wasn't going to steal his work, after he had worked so terribly hard.

She had used a fake song for Mettaton's music in the fandom- she wasn't going to steal his song no matter what.

But it was one of the songs she remembered most fondly, when her dreams had been full in her heart, and her passion came out in dance.

As she practiced it, trying to get it right, she flushed. She may had only been 8, but she had the biggest puppy love crush on Mettaton for like EVER. In fact, the first word she ever spoke, and the last one for years, had been when Mettaton was answering calls on her lap. The first word, as he started to power down, was "...beautiful."

Papyrus was the only one who found out, and innocent or not, they teased each other back and forth over their crush. They had fanboy/girl moments. After awhile, Frisk realized it was a superficial feeling- especially when she saw Papyrus crush fade into a fond, sensitive love.

And she was so happy it was reciprocated..

But the song still brought back the ecstatic passion she had, the feelings of belief her SOUL once felt so clearly. It was the closest thing to a counterbalance for working on Sans song that she had.

Creating songs was always so difficult for her, and it was after another fail on Sans song, filled with the despair from those days coupled with frustration at her not being good enough, that she turned on her mp3 player, and listened to Memories, curled around her Sans doll, hood over her head, as tears overflowed her eyes down her cheeks.

She didn't notice the same footsteps that woke her from her dreams the week previous slowly walk down the tunnel, and she didn't see as Asgore knelt by the barrier, looking at the crying child. She didn't see as the angry eyes of Asgore watched the pitiful sobbing, taking in her form again, listening to the song that came from Asriel's music box come from the little phone on the ground beside her

Frisk never did wear another striped shirt, ever again, and she usually wore blue if she could. She didn't wear her hair in a bob anymore, and she didn't really like short hair, so she kept a braid down to her butt now, almost all the time. It was messy, and tied with an purple bow. A purple bow that was wound up the braid itself, and clipped in with the royal seal.

So she didn't see as Asgore's eyes softened, and became a little sad. She didn't see as he reached out to stroke her hair, and in a quiet, mournful moment, touched the barrier, and looked at his hand like he had never seen it before.

But she did hear him speaking to her softly.

"..Child.. my child?"


	5. The Story Is Told

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a much needed conversation happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Slight mentions of suicide, vague hints of abuse.

**Chapter 4: The Story is Told**

She turned her face up at the barrier, and saw him watching her. Frisk didn't even think, she flung herself at the barrier- and thankfully, tripped immediately on her sleeping bag, coming face first down.

Only her head had made it through the barrier, and it was resting on Asgore's knee. He could have killed her easily then, and in a moment of aching pain, the familiar scent of her dad around her, she thought that maybe that was okay.

But a padded hand came down on her head, and pet it. The tears in her eyes came outright, as her father hummed with the music box, and she wept. Her voice, coming back, spoke quietly. She felt so very young again, for the first time in forever she felt her age.

"Daddy.. I want to go home.. and save everyone again.." She lifted herself up, and tried to push herself through the barrier, but Asgore stopped her, and with careful hands, pushed her back out. She tried again, and she was carefully pushed back out.

This happened many times, and Frisk didn't know why. Surely, her dad would want to free everyone? He didn't know her. He'd get sick of it, and give up. A day went by, and she kept trying. She stopped trying, and stared for a day, because surely he'd leave and she could try again.

But he seemed to be stronger in heart than her, and on the third day she cracked, crying and sobbing all over again. "I want to go _hoooomeee_...!" she keened. Finally, Asgore responded.

".. I know you aren't Chara, but I can't hurt my child," he told her. "Even if I don't know you."

The silence persisted for ten minutes, before the girl opened her backpack, pulling out the books she wrote, and the journals filled with the rest of their peaceful life.. the ones she never dare publish.

Pushing them through the barrier, she finally spoke, subdued.

"..My name is Frisk Dreemur, and this is my story."

And picking up the first book as if it was a delicate piece of glass, he picked it up, and started to read.

**0000**

Asgore closed the last book, a journal, that ended with the childs death of old age, and asked the question that haunted him through the entire story.

"How do you know this?" he asked the girl, Frisk. Her eyes grew haunted and sad, and she ran her hands down her braid. It seemed to be a nervous habit, he thought. Chara had one too, he remembered. She would bite her lip excessively- once even biting through it. Asgore was glad this one was less harmful to the childs health.

Her eyes fell to the ground, and she seemed heavy with shame. Frisk opened her mouth once, closed it. Opened it again..

She looked at him, **DETERMINED**. "I gave up Dad," she finally admitted. "My dreams came to an end on that bed and my determination failed.. and then.." she shuddered.

_"Chara,"_ the girl said, quietly.

"..Chara..?" he said in stunned horror, reluctant to know more.

"Her death killed her soul, but not her spirit, and determination," Frisk finally told her. "Just.. imagine a hurt, angry little girl, with god-like powers, no moral limitations, and a grudge against the world."

Asgore could only stare as he pray the words would stop flooding through her mouth.

"She took my place, and I watched as she restarted the world, going on a rampage.. everyone.. mom.. Sans.. you.." Frisk continued. "Over and over. Over and fucking over."

She was growing pale and shuddering, and while he wanted her to stop, even to scold her for cussing, he couldn't move.

"And then.. I stopped it. I.." she looked away, more shame on her face. "I got control for a blessed few minutes and ended myself. And my **DETERMINATION** to stop the cycle ended it."

Under his fur, Asgore was pale. Suicide was unheard of in the Underground, more than a taboo, and was considered the ultimate form of grief. That was what essentially took Asriel away..

"I woke up in bed, instead of the flowers, and I tried again," at this, she gave him a weak smile, and shrugged. "I was afraid, for a long time. Chara was there.."

"But I couldn't make her go away- no, I didn't want to," she quietly continued. The king couldn't tell what to feel there.

"There was a lot she didn't tell you about her life out here," Frisk told him solemnly. "And I've viewed most of it. I.." she looked away there. "I wanted her to know there was kindness, and I had the **DETERMINATION** to keep her subdued, especially since the god powers wouldn't really come back till I came back here.."

At that, Asgore jumped in mild horror. Frisk flailed her hands anxiously.

"No no, that's not an issue now!" she exclaimed, and Asgore forced himself to calm, motioning for her to get on with it.

"She.. I took care of her, the best I could," she told Asgore. Frisk frowned sady. "She didn't know what to make of it- and honestly, neither did I." Her eyes looked out towards the sky, where the sun was beginning to set, filling the cave opening with a warm glow.

A long moment passed, before Frisk spoke again. "In the end, it was her that did the greatest kindness," she said quietly. "She _let go_.."

Frisk put her hand petting her braid on her exposed shoulder, the jacket slumped around her waist.

"..Chara is gone now, isn't she?" Asgore said sadly. "We pressed her too hard.. we told her it was her job. Never straight out, but it was implied, and she heard the whispers. I.. I did this myself."

A hand reached out and clasped his paw on his knee. "No Dad," Frisk told him. "The only people to blame were the so-called sages that sealed the barrier. And they are gone, having paid years ago, no longer in memory except as villians to a story that everyone idolizes."

A shocked chuckle of mirth left Asgore. "You _published_ these?!" He covered his face, laughter shaking his shoulders, in a great relief of agony, as a silly sense of joy flooded him.

Frisk huffed, her face going pink, as she crossed her arms, pouting. She looked away, indignant, and as he finally calmed and looked at her, the expression she had on her cute face had him breaking out in hilarious laughter again.

Finally he calmed, breathing, watching her with his eyes twinkling. "You silly girl," he said, smiling, automatically reaching, but before she caught him, still full of mirth as she finally turned at him with a puff, rolling his eyes.

She really was a teenager, he realized. All her knowledge and years, and she was a 15 year old, trying her hardest to be an adult.

When she spoke, it was with great force he didn't laugh again.

"Well.. at least its made the monsters _**popular**_ _,_ " she grumbled. He raised his eyebrows, finally looking inside the cover at the back, piles of awards on it.

A solemn air crushed down on him, as she watched the light fade from the tunnel.

"I'll... set up the money.. I've got a lot.. buy some land.." She muttered to herself, unaware he could hear every word. "This could work, I could set it up flawlessly.. and then when they take my soul and get out.. everyone would be completely safe this time."

And in a rush of righteous anger, Asgore let out a booming word.

**"NO."**

Frisk turned, obviously startled he had overheard her. "B-but..!"

A soft smile crossed his face. "No Frisk," he said to her, his heart reflecting on the two children who tried so hard to save them and died, his own children. He could never do it again.

"I won't let you do this, and I won't let you do this to someone else," Asgore said, his belief in good slowly returning. "You don't have to coat yourself in sins for our sake.."

Tears began returning to her eyes. "But Daddy, I'm already ruined," Frisk said, sobbing, and rubbing at her eyes.

He only put his hand next to the barrier, palm down, in offering. And a petite hand reached through, callused with her work shown in her fingers from the pencils and instruments, lay on his. His hand closed and he lay his other hand over hers.

"Sweet child... it's not your fault," Asgore told her earnestly. And her hand tightened around his, trembling. She didn't let go, and he murmured that to her all night, as she lay leaning against the wall, before falling asleep.

And when she woke up, she felt a little more whole. It wasn't home.. but it was close.


	6. Hopes, Dreams, Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start going better. But all good things end.

  
Underground seemed to change, ever so slightly. Frisk would bring books, travel brochures, even at one point a laptop where they watched stuff together.

  
  
They laughed, they cried, they shared life stories and great hopes.

  
It wasn't an uncommon sight in the underground to see their King actually leaving his home and throne room sometimes, a book in hand, flipping through it. Sometimes a picture book, other times a heavy tome, even novels.

  
  
Alphys watched these changes, and wished that she had cameras in his personal quarters, because curiosity was killing her. But she saw his lightened burden, and wondered, but said nothing.

  
  
And Undyne, when reporting in, caught a glimpse of a picture frame with an illustration of a gathering that never happened. And if she wondered about it, and the small human in the picture, the fond contentness in his eyes meant more, so she wondered, but said nothing.

  
  
And if Papyrus got a huge package with a bunch of spaghetti cooking books and printed recipes, stamped with the royal seal, and grew excited and thrilled, Sans tensed, and for years later watched for the inevitable, only for it not to come.. and though he wondered, he said nothing.

  
  
**000000000000000**

 

  
The year passed on, with regular visits. Even if they missed each other, they always left a note.

  
  
On her 16th birthday she told Asgore she was going to go back to college. She wanted to something important with her life, so she was going back to medical college. She motioned in joy as she explained her ideas to open up private free clinics for people that were being treated with hatred based on discrimination.

  
  
The plight of the monsters in that first life had stuck with her a long time, and she had drive to make good things happen.

  
  
So, they set up a meeting schedule. College was sort of far, but she could afford the plane trips back and forth.

  
  
So she went off.. and disappeared. Asgore went to the same spot every day, waiting for her, patiently, but he began to fear.

  
  
Finally he spent most the day there, his heart hurting, praying his child would come. Internally he called out for her.

  
  
And with quite, tired steps, she came.

  
  
Sitting next to the barrier, she answered none of his questions. He got angry, and yelled. And she curled in on herself, but did not respond.

  
  
Finally, he mourned and sat down too, leaning against the wall. A quiet hour passed, when a small hand grasped Asgore's robe, and he looked up to see her crying in anguish.

  
  
"Daddy.."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know its late. I'm sorry. Depression is kicking my butt. I'm sorry for the unanswered comments too. I'm going to try to go back and get them.


	7. It All Falls Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things don't go as planned, and Frisk's life is forever changed.

  
College did not go as planned, Frisk remembered, as she carefully, slowly walked up the mountain. She didn't dare take her motor bike- not now. Not with her condition.

 

It ended so badly, so fast. She was hanging out at the campus rec area. Since she was just 16, she didn't drink, although her new friends had pushed her to try. They seemed nice, but seemed to set her ill at ease.

 

Especially Brad, he kept staring at her. He was 24, and for some reason he seemed to think Frisk being emancipated meant she was old enough..

 

As she curled up on the shabby sofa, she worked on the homework from her mentally straining, headache inducing classes, she saw someone lean over to her.

 

"Hey, babe, you okay?" Brad said cheerily. She smiled up at him. "Yeah, med school is just so much harder than I thought, but tibia honest I'm glad I can learn more anatomy- my bone jokes will skyrocket a skele-ton."

 

Brad grimaced. "Babe, I know you like Undertale," he started. She jumped and stared at him, eyes started.

 

"I mean you gotta, having changed your name to Frisk when emancipated," he continued. Her eyes lidded in disgust. Frisk was not quite sure where people had got that idea, but it kept them away from the true knowledge.

 

"But you gotta stop being so in character! Plus, wasn't Frisk mute?" he ended. Her smile went tight.

 

"I thought you hated that series," she said, her voice in strained cheer.

 

"Well yea," Brad complained, rolling his eyes. "Monsters would be awful, especially skeletons, ew!" The edges of her mouth twisted, but she refused to let him make her frown.

 

"...Please let me return to studying," she bit out. He started to realized he had crossed a line, and he huffed.

 

"Come on," he complained impatiently. "It's just a stupid book!"

 

She closed her eyes, and he was unaware how under the lid, her eye started glowing blue.

 

  
"If you don't leave me alone.. **y o u ' r e g o i n g t o h a v e a b a d t i m e,** " she said, her smile eerily large. She heard a growl, a odd thunk, and then footsteps storming off.

 

When she realized the room was empty, she opened her eyes, the blue fading slowly. That happened every time she was pissed off, now, and hiding it had become more difficult. She tried colored contacts, and those didn't work. So she claimed light sensitivity, and wore an eye patch.

 

She had forgotten it today, and after having it hid so much, it was partially true- The lights in here didn't help her headache. She carefully picked up her golden flower tea, kneading her forehead.

 

The motion didn't soothe her head very well, so she sipped her tea. It tasted a little funny, she thought. She shouldn't have let it cool down so much. Her headache eased, going a little numb. Weird, she thought. The tea never worked that fast before.

 

But then her fingers went numb, and the mug dropped. And then her vision started darkening, and she started to fall over. The last thing she remembered seeing was the flash of a smile and someone leaning over her.

 

  
**00000000000000000000**

 

  
When she next woke up, it had been a month. She ached a little, but overall felt well, and wasn't quite sure why she was in the hospital. She would find out an hour later, and it would never be the same.

 

Frisk was quietly flipping through a magazine. No one had left her anything worth anything to do in here- they probably hadn't planned for her to wake up. She wasn't about ready to push the call button.. if something was wrong, she wanted to wake up completely before she heard it.

 

Why hospitals left stupid little business magazines in here, she never knew. No one liked them! When she opened up her own clinic, she was going to add a little variety! And if people stole them, well, she could afford to replace them, for sure.

 

When the nurse came in, though, the world shifted on its axis with one sentence.

 

After taking her vitals, and asking after her health, the nurse flipped through the chart. "Well, it looks like everything is good. You and the baby are fine," the woman assured. "Let me get the doctor and get you signed out."

  
It was as if the entire area of Snowdin dripped down her as ice flooded her system.

 

"WHAT!?" she shrieked. "BABY?!" She grabbed the panic button, pushing it over and over. "HELP! HELP!" Frisk cried out, mentally in shrill terror.

  
The doctor arrived, took one look at the nurse, and started yelling at her. Security arrived, and the nurse was escorted out of the building by force, as she cried "I'm sorry! I didn't know!"

  
But Frisk caught the gist of why- Brad had.. And she started crying into her hands.

  
The doctor, a older women, took her hand, and coaxed her into calming down, explaining that Brad was arrested, and probably never going to get out, because he had done this to others as well- just never in a publicly recorded place.

  
At that Frisk huffed in bitter humor. "Lucky me, right?" The doctor shook her head mournfully, and explained her options.

 

Frisk.. never wanted to end another life. Ever.

 

"That won't ever be an option," she told the doctor. "I will love that child." And she didn't make promises she couldn't keep either, with her hand over her slightly swollen stomach.

  
Frisk was able to talk her way out of counselling, and carefully withdrew from college till further notice. As she climbed up the mountain, initially full of hope, she grew more and more ashamed.

  
Monsters didn't do casual sex, after all, and she wasn't sure if her father would understand..

  
She reached the cave, and her father was sitting there, dozing, and miserable looking. Her steps had him standing up in a rush, looking worried and furious. As she slid down the cave wall, she allowed him to yell at her, scold her, plead with her.

 

Frisk shrunk in on herself, until things grew quiet. And hearing her exhausted father doze again, hesitantly reached out. She pulled back, several times. She didn't deserve his comfort. But.. she realized, she knew her father. He would never judge her for something that wasn't her fault- he proved that once already.

 

So she took out and grasped his robe.

  
"Daddy.."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Whooo depression. And social anxiety. And general failure. Love you guys


	8. Tilted on its Axis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things don't go as planned and the world forever changes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the non-con reference comes in. It is not described, just where it starts and the aftermath. This will be the only non-con in the story.

College did not go as planned, Frisk remembered, as she carefully, slowly walked up the mountain. She didn't dare take her motor bike- not now. Not with her condition.

 

It ended so badly, so fast. She was hanging out at the campus rec area. Since she was just 16, she didn't drink, although her new friends had pushed her to try. They seemed nice, but seemed to set her ill at ease.

 

Especially Brad, he kept staring at her. He was 24, and for some reason he seemed to think Frisk being emancipated meant she was old enough..

 

As she curled up on the shabby sofa, she worked on the homework from her mentally straining, headache inducing classes, she saw someone lean over to her.

 

"Hey, babe, you okay?" Brad said cheerily. She smiled up at him. "Yeah, med school is just so much harder than I thought, but tibia honest I'm glad I can learn more anatomy- my bone jokes will skyrocket a skele-ton."

 

Brad grimaced. "Babe, I know you like Undertale," he started. She jumped and stared at him, eyes started.

 

"I mean you gotta, having changed your name to Frisk when emancipated," he continued. Her eyes lidded in digust. Frisk was not quite sure where people had got that idea, but it kept them away from the true knowledge.

 

"But you gotta stop being so in character! Plus, wasn't Frisk mute?" he ended. Her smile went tight.

 

"I thought you hated that series," she said, her voice in strained cheer.

 

"Well yea," Brad complained, rolling his eyes. "Monsters would be awful, especially skeletons, ew!" The edges of her mouth twisted, but she refused to let him make her frown.

 

"...Please let me return to studying," she bit out. He started to realized he had crossed a line, and he huffed.

 

"Come on," he complained impatiently. "It's just a stupid book!"

 

She closed her eyes, and he was unaware how under the lid, her eye started glowing blue.

"If you don't leave me alone.. you're going to have a bad time," she said, her smile eerily large. She heard a growl, a odd thunk, and then footsteps storming off.

 

When she realized the room was empty, she opened her eyes, the blue fading slowly. That happened every time she was pissed off, now, and hiding it had become more difficult. She tried colored contacts, and those didn't work. So she claimed light sensitivity, and wore an eyepatch.

 

She had forgotten it today, and after having it hid so much, it was partially true- The lights in here didn't help her headache. She carefully picked up her golden flower tea, kneading her forehead.

 

The motion didn't soothe her head very well, so she sipped her tea. It tasted a little funny, she thought. She shouldn't have let it cool down so much. Her headache eased, going a little numb. Weird, she thought. The tea never worked that fast before.

 

But then her fingers went numb, and the mug dropped. And then her vision started darkening, and she started to fall over. The last thing she remembered seeing was the flash of a smile and someone leaning over her.

 

0000

 

When she next woke up, it had been a month. She ached a little, but overall felt well, and wasn't quite sure why she was in the hospital. She would find out an hour later, and it would never be the same.

 

Frisk was quietly flipping through a magazine. No one had left her anything worth anything to do in here- they probably hadn't planned for her to wake up. She wasn't about ready to push the call button.. if something was wrong, she wanted to wake up completely before she heard it.

 

Why hospitals left stupid little business magazines in here, she never knew. No one liked them! When she opened up her own clinic, she was going to add a little variety! And if people stole them, well, she could afford to replace them, for sure.

 

When the nurse came in, however, the world shifted on its axis with one sentence.

 

After taking her vitals, and asking after her health, the nurse flipped through the chart. "Well, it looks like everything is good. You and the baby are fine," the woman assured. "Let me get the doctor and get you signed out."

It was as if the entire area of Snowdin dripped down her as ice flooded her system.

 

"WHAT!?" she shrieked. "BABY?!" She grabbed the panic button, pushing it over and over. "HELP! HELP!" Frisk cried out, mentally in shrill terror.

 

The doctor arrived, took one look at the nurse, and started yelling at her. Security arrived, and the nurse was escorted out of the building by force, as she cried "I'm sorry! I didn't know!"

 

But Frisk caught the gist of why- Brad had.. And she started crying into her hands.

 

The doctor, a older woman, took her hand, and coaxed her into calming down, explaining that Brad was arrested, and probably never going to get out, because he had done this to others as well- just never in a publically recorded place.

 

At that Frisk huffed in bitter humor. "Lucky me, right?" The doctor shook her head mournfully, and explained her options.

 

Frisk.. never wanted to end another life. Ever.

 

"That won't ever be an option," she told the doctor. "I will love that child." And she didn't make promises she couldn't keep either, with her hand over her slightly swollen stomach.

 

Frisk was able to talk her way out of counselling, and carefully withdrew from college till further notice. As she climbed up the mountain, initially full of hope, she grew more and more ashamed.

 

Monsters didn't do casual sex, after all, and she wasn't sure if her father would understand..

 

She reached the cave, and her father was sitting there, dozing, and miserable looking. Her steps had him standing up in a rush, looking worried and furious. As she slid down the cave wall, she allowed him to yell at her, scold her, plead with her.

 

Frisk shrunk in on herself, until things grew quiet. And hearing her exhausted father doze again, hesitantly reached out. She pulled back, several times. She didn't deserve his comfort. But.. she realized, she knew her father. He would never judge her for something that wasn't her fault- he proved that once already.

 

So she took out and grasped his robe.

 

"Daddy.."


	9. A Somber Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few time skips here, with details of what's going on. Sometimes it has to get worse before it gets better.. and it's gonna get worse.

It took awhile to explain it to her father- most of which was long silence as she processed what she was saying for the first time. Asgore realized early on that anger wasn't going to make this any easier on her, even anger at this Brad person.

 

"Oh Frisk.." Asgore sighed, wishing ever more he could reach through the door to comfort his daughter. Because over the past few years, she really had grown to be that close to him. "So.. you are keeping it?"

 

She brushed her hand over her swollen stomach. "I want to keep her, Dad," she murmured. "I know that means I won't be able to start my clinic as a doctor.. but maybe I can fund one."

 

Asgore rubbed his eyes tiredly, before dropping his paw. "You know you won't be able to travel here for awhile," he told her steadily. "If you fall, that's it, for both of you."

 

Frisk looked surprised, as if she hadn't thought about it. "Yea, I guess you're right," she murmured sadly. But her eyes brightened, at an idea. "I'll be back!" she chirped, suddenly excited, as she rushed to her backpack.

 

She had kept it for emergencies..but this heavy, solid, satellite phone would be perfect. It was solar powered, and if she remembered correctly, it would stay charged a long time, with the light on the flower garden, the cracks giving just a little sunshine, she explained to him, handing it over.

 

Asgore looked at it, surprised, and a little unsure if it could even cross through the barrier. She slipped it in, and gave him her cell number.

 

Asgore called Frisk..

 

..and it rang!

 

They tested it a few more times,with him even going all the way to the flower garden. It worked up until the point he tried to go further than the throne room, but that was okay.

 

000

 

It wasn't okay, he realized. She had left, and he left it out all day, but even still, for every 5 percent it left, only 3 would return.

 

The second call explained that briefly, and they came to a schedule of sorts. Once a week, 20 minutes a day.

 

That worked for two months.. and then winter came, and the sunshine was gone even longer. The barrier protected from cold.. but wouldn’t do anything about the equinox.

 

Frisk pled with him not to take her phone to Alphys, pure terror in her voice at them finding out about her. He hated it, but her fear was enough to overcome that hate.

 

There was only one percent left on the battery, and they saved it, for two months later, on Frisk's birthday. She poured her excitement out to him, how the structuring of the clinic was going, about how she was decorating the baby’s room- it was definitely a girl!

 

Asgore asked her about the baby’s health, though, and she went quiet. "She'll be okay. I'm DETERMINED," she finally answered.

 

The battery started beeping, slowly, a countdown to when it would finally burn out. He tried to bluster an answer out of her, but she said nothing. There was maybe thirty seconds left when she answered.

 

"Dad," she interrupted. "We don't have time to argue. Hang up, and I'll call when she's born, with the last few seconds." And the line went dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://dokidoki-undertale.tumblr.com/post/151129246141/undertale-commissions
> 
> Plugging this because I need food and things. Semi-shameless I suppose. ;w;
> 
> Hope you liked the chapter. 
> 
> Feel free to talk to me, too!
> 
> I'm more likely to respond on tumblr than dA


	10. Soft Sweet Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somebody finds out...

With a great flurry of movement Asgore turned the power on safe mode, which would keep it from draining anymore. His worry had him in the flower garden, pretty much camped out for the next two month, watching the battery charge. When there was 2 percent, 20 minutes worth of talking, he took it out of safe mode, and continued to watch.

 

It got up to an hour worth of talk time, and he stayed there, waiting, unwilling to leave the phone. It got to the point that the royal guard had finally bullied their commanding officer to check on him regularly and made sure he took care of himself.

 

It was one of those moments where Undyne was visiting what they were calling the mad king now, him sitting next to some odd device, when it rung. It was a phone, she realized shocked, as she dropped the food she had brought him with a clatter. A really weird one, but a phone.

 

And as the anguish left his shoulders and he stood taller, she watched the King, filled with joy once again, listen into the phone for several minutes, before putting it down on its table delicately, and grabbed Undyne in a hug.

 

"She's alive!  _ She's alive _ !" Asgore sobbed with joy. The soldier didn't know what her mentor was talking about, but pat his arm from where he was squishing her in chest. As he pulled back, she saw he looked like a new person.

 

He realized then, what she had seen, and turned stern. "Please don't tell anyone what you’ve seen." His eyes softened and he smiled. "They wouldn't understand, but this is a good thing."

 

Undyne frowned stubbornly, her sharp teeth exposed and arms crossed. "If you can explain, maybe I won't!"

 

Asgore turned away, arms crossed behind him in contemplation, humming. Finally he turned to her, and smiled.

 

"I promised not to tell or show the story, or who the caller is," Asgore said slowly. "But I trust you, and so I'll show you what I can."

 

He led Undyne to his house, leaving the flower garden he hadn't moved from in months with no hesitation.

 

She had passed by here, once before, but his personal room had been locked. She felt started as she walked into it. The grey tone surrounding the house was gone, here. Over the desk, a painted version of the portrait she had seen was hanging. Her eyes crossed the features.. everyone looked so happy...

 

She turned rapidly at the whisking sound, watching Asgore slowly bring a large book out. It was a scrapbook, and as she looked at the bookshelf, there were many scrapbooks, and piles of books she'd never seen. He turned the lamp on, over the desk, and the cover of the book was a sheet of music, with the title "Hope and Dreams".

 

Asgore ran her fingers over the notes. "I had to beg her endlessly for this," he said softly, only partially aware she was listening.

 

"Her who?!" Undyne snapped, this sense of deja vu prickling her skin, and making her anxious. In reply, he carefully opened the scrapbook.

 

The first page was card, for an event called Father's Day. The card seemed to have a built in frame, and it had a clear photo of a young human teenager posing with a heart shape made with her fingers.

 

The inside had the caption. "Love you Daddy!" hand written, with a glittery pink kiss mark on the top.

 

He chuckled wryly, as he started turning the pages, with her standing there stunned. Each page had that girl, sometimes pictures of locations too, scraps of letters, music sheets, and more "I wish you were here." cards than Undyne had ever seen. "She always tries to be so mature, so very hard."

 

Asgore closed the scrapbook, and turned to Undyne. The fish woman had slowly become more and more incredulous, before exploding.

 

"THAT'S A  **_HUMAN_ ** !" she snarled. "Did you have access to a human all this time?! Why haven't you broken the barrier?!"

 

She didn't expect the world to go dark with anger as Asgore's fury filled him. Undyne cowered, knowing she had crossed a line, but not sure where. But without warning, the darkness bled away and he huffed.

 

"She wouldn't want me to do that," he finally grumbled. Undyne couldn't find her words, but he must have read the question on her face, the _ 'why?' _ shrieking through her head, and his eyes dropped to the ground, saddened, before looking up her in serious contemplation.

 

"I don't know if you ever plan on having children, Undyne," Asgore said slowly, and she flushed with mortification at his knowing look. "But if someone ever becomes a child of your heart, even if they aren't really yours... I would never be able to do that to her."

 

She uncurled from herself, soothed by the room going back to a relaxed peace, as he shuffled over to the drawers, pulling out a small box, with an envelope tied to it.

 

"Ahh, here it is," he murmured. He handed her the box, carefully. It had a big ribbon on it, and a card gently taped to the side. The box was surrounded in some sort of surreal, shimmering blue paper, with gold fish all over the paper, looking like it was literally engraved in gold.

 

Undyne looked at it hesitantly, and then up at Asgore, and he nodded reassuringly. Plopping down on his bed, she slipped the letter loose, opening it. Before she pulled it out, she looked up at Asgore again, nervous for some reason she couldn't quite place.

 

"It's safe, Undyne," he reassured her again, and she pulled the card out. She almost dropped it, as some sort of thin metal confetti fell all over her lap, each like a star. A mirthful chuckle had her head shooting up.

 

Asgore had his face covered, as his shoulders shook. "Again, child?" He smiled at Undyne. "For someone who was terrified to give that to you, she sure put a lot of thought into it," he said, gesturing at the card. It was a birthday card, but when she opened it, a pop out shark sprung at her. She gasped, and dropped the card, and Asgore turned away to hide his laughter.

 

He didn't do a particularly good job at it, and she scowled. But it didn't last long, as she picked up the card, opening and closing it over and over, amused at the mechanics. A note fell out, a very tiny one, after the fifth attempt to open it.

 

Carefully, she opened the note, and her eyes went wide at the text.

 

_ "Hey, _

 

_ Miss you. _

_ Don't burn the house down again. _

_ And visit the neighbor sometime, ok? _

 

_ Wish you were here." _

 

And the note drifted away from her hand, and she scrambled to open the package, not caring that she was destroying the beautiful wrapping paper in her rush.

 

On the top, there was a box, and she opened it hesitantly, before flushing deeply. A gorgeous gold lizard hair comb lay upon the pillow. There was another note here-

 

_ "For your first date." _

 

And she didn't know whether to hide the comb, or wear it. Her hands shaking, she closed the the box, hair comb still inside, and lifted the next item. It was a shonen comic she had never seen before, and as she turned the first page open, she read "This manga is read right to left." which had her blinking in bewilderment, as she'd never seen an anime in print before.

 

She flipped to that side, another paper fell out. This one was much bigger, and thick, and she carefully unfolded it.. To find a huge anime poster.. Of her!

 

In huge kanji appearing letters on the bottom, it said.

 

**_"NEVER STOP DREAMING!"_ **

 

While her hands shook, she carefully folded the poster back up. She wasn't about to go over that thought with a ten foot pole.  _ How _ ,  **_why_ ** , it just bewildered the mind.

 

Following that, she pulled out the next item.

 

_ "To make Alphys happy! _ " was written on the brown paper.

 

This she opened even more carefully, and dropped it in shock, before grabbing it quickly to make sure it wasn't damaged, sighing when it wasn't even dented.

 

It was an unsealed copy of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie. The final VHS they needed to finish the series- and really, probably the true reason Alphys was always so angry about Mew Mew Kissy Cutie 2.

 

It had never been opened.

 

The human knew them.

 

_ Closely. _

 

**_Dearly_ ** _. _

 

_ But _ **_h_ ** **_ow?!_ **

 

And Undyne wanted to storm up to him, and demand answers, but he simply spread his arms and told her "I promised." And also promised to keep her updated as far as he could.

 

"But.. would she be a danger?" she asked him, needing to know. He stepped back, and gestured for her to open the drawers. Presents. Piles upon presents. She flipped thru the labels, finding people she knew, and equally if not more, ones she didn't. There seemed to be a gift for each monster, for each holiday, birthday, even a few wedding anniversaries, for two years.

 

And odd, cushioned folder lay against the side, and she slipped it out. Asgore sighed. "Oh, that," he grumbled. She looked at him anxiously. "No no, nothing harmful. The child.. these presents were never meant to be given, but she made them up carefully, and packed them in front of me. I trust her, well, _ mostly. _ But not with her money!" He facepalmed.

 

"Never intended to be given.. I didn't think it was an issue.. until I pried the prices of those out of her," he grouched, sounding like.. an exasperated father. Undyne blinked, and hesitantly opened the cushioned folder.

 

There was a scholarship for someone named Temmie for $500,000. In the calmest manner she could, she closed the folder and slipped it back in. "Your Majesty.. what are each of those currencies worth?" He peered out of his hands before dropping them with a dramatic sigh.

 

"Each of those currency stand for 5 gold," he complained. "When I found out she pulled that off, she got such the scolding.." He sighed.

 

"But she wouldn't take it back," he said sadly. "I've had to convince her multiple times not to come over here and sacrifice her soul..she wanted to so bad.. but .." He looked up, face firmed.

 

"Now she won't," he said decisively. Undyne hesitantly spoke up then, mixed feelings flooding her.

 

"Why?" she asked softly.

  
"Because her daughter was just born," he answered, his voice full of relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And a new character is added to the mix! If anyone wants to see the further chapters before I post them here, it was previously released on ffnet under the username Gelasia Kidd - So unique, right?


	11. Love Feeds Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad news doesn't mean giving up. The child is introduced.

**Chapter 8: Love Feeds Hope**

 

The next year or two was surreal for Undyne. They would schedule a short guard shift around the time she would call- once a month for two minutes, a quick update, nothing more, nothing less.

 

The next year went more surreal, though. Not only did the phone calls happen, but in a moment that lit up Asgore, she was able to deliver items now and then. Presents she had missed, mostly, new books, and a new phone, every month. Scrapbook pictures with the baby, endless scrapbook pictures.

 

Undyne found herself falling in love with the child, a little bit. It was natural, she thought, to see a child grow up from so small, and fall in love.

 

On the fourth year, Asgore got a unexpected call, outside their regular time. Undyne hadn't been there, but when another sentry passed by, they hurried her to the king- he was going mad again, they claimed, and you brought him out of it, last time. Do something!

 

When she got there, Asgore was throwing as much monster food into as big of a box he can pack, without any of it getting damaged. He was in a frenzy, and couldn't see anything, even running into corners and tearing himself up a little.

 

Undyne tried talking to him, tried touching him, even tried attacking him, but nothing broke through.

 

"Urrgh... " Undyne grumbled, an idea coming to her. She wasn't musical! She didn't like to sing! But.. she'd listened to Shyren enough, surely she could hum.

 

And with a few rough starts that had her coughing, Undyne hummed Hope and Dreams. The room went silent, and she opened her eyes, watching Asgore stare at her with flat eyes.

 

"You mutilated that song," Asgore grouched, and she flushed with mortification and turned away. To her surprise, she was swept into a hug. "But thank you." And he began to weep.

 

It was brief, though, and after five minutes he pulled away, packing the food again, but careful, and slow.

 

"What happened..?" Undyne asked Asgore, and he stiffened, he back rigid, before he forced himself to relax.

 

"Melody is dying," he said softly, packing the food more.

 

"Who..?" she wondered. The answer sent her to her knees in despair.

 

"My grand-daughter," he sobbed.

 

**000000000000000**

 

The journey up the mountain was wretchedly harder than before. Frisk had missed her father horribly, but the reason for re-uniting was painful, so painful she wanted to lay down and die.

 

Her mouth thinned, and she berated herself. The last time she gave up, something horrible happened. She wouldn't let herself do that, ever again. Even if it hurt! that gave her motivation to take the rest of the mountain at a jog.

 

When she reach the top, she was surprised that her father wasn't the only one there, and she shot Asgore a dirty look.

 

"Dad! You promised!" she cried out, feeling upset and betrayed.

 

The familiar face, Undyne, spoke up then. "Hey, hey! He didn't break any promise! I just weaseled in! I caught him talking and badgered.. but he didn't tell me anything about you, just that you knew me." Her hand came up the comb, sheepishly. She never took that lizard comb out of her hair now, just like how Alphys never took off the locket with a piece of her hair in it.

 

"Oh..." Frisk trailed off, smiling, sad, but relieved. She didn't have the gumption to inquire about Alphys, but hoped..

 

"But oh!" Undyne pulled a container of spaghetti out, and shoved it towards here, where it smashed into the barrier and fell apart.

 

"Well crap," Undyne grumbled, disappointed, before perking up. "Wait I forgot I packed two!" And she pulled the other one out, holding it out.

 

Frisk reached through, trustingly pulling the spaghetti into her side. "Thank you," she whispered. "But why?"

 

"I sorta got a glimpse of the kid early on," Undyne looked away, trying to be tough. "And I sorta thought, maybe, I could be Auntie Undyne?" She turned back with a familiar gleam in her eyes. "But she better not called me Aunt _**Undie**_! I'd never live it down."

 

And a thrill of mixed emotions flashed through Frisk, as she fell to her knees, laughing, laughs that turned into relieved sobs. She leaned towards the barrier, and in a movement that had become automatic, Asgore fell to his knees, and flipped himself around, allowing Frisk to rest against his back. Frisk wrapped her arms around her dad, sobbing.

 

And with little hesitation, Undyne joined them, pulling one of the arms onto the shoulder next to Asgore.

 

"H-hey," Undyne stuttered. "I'm sure Melody will be okay. The food will help, right?"

 

"I hope," murmured Frisk, half muffled by her fathers robe.

 

"So Frisk," Asgore started, and Undyne was hit with a wave of unease, the deja vu telling her to hug the girl and run as far away as possible, equally. She sat still, and continued to listen.

 

"If you are here, who is watching Melody? I didn't think you made any new friends?" he continued.

 

"No, dad, not since college," she murmured, and Asgore's mouth turned down. "Prison was too good for that trash," he growled angrily.

 

"Dad, no, you can't," she pled, and he sighed.

 

"You are right as ever," he acknowledge, and Undyne felt there was a large hole in her understanding. "But then, who is watching the child?"

 

Frisk smiled, pulling back, and they all turned to face her. Carefully, she pulled out an ear piece, and in a deliberate step of trust, handed her the ear piece to Undyne, before turning to her father.

 

Undyne could barely hear the response she gave Asgore, about a nursemaid, because she put the ear piece in her ear.. and could hear.

 

**000000000000000**

 

Her name was Melody Cherish Hope, and she was 4 years old. Her mommy said she was born a lot too early, but she knew she was special because her mommy believed in her so much that her mommy made her last name Hope because Melody was her mommy's hope and so when Melody was born she could be hope for real!

 

She didn't know where Cherish was for, but when mommy was scolding her, her mommy called her Cherry, then swept her up for tickles and giggles.

 

Mommy seemed sad a lot, and Melody couldn't move much to give her mommy all the hugs her mommy needed. She knew her mommy was a secret writer, and mommy told her stories from the secret writing books, all the time. Even some nobody else knew!

 

It was neat her mommy had the name of the character in the book. She told her mommy that she wanted to save the monsters like the hero did in the book, and her mommy gave a small, pained smile, and told Melody she had a secret name.

 

Her secret name was Arial Chara Dreemur, and nobody was supposed to know it. Especially not the name Chara. But she asked her mommy if she could be called Arial, and say it was from the little mermaid, and her mommy smiled a happy happy smile, pet her head, and said yes. And thank you, for some reason..

 

From then on Melody only answered to Arial, it was her realist name ever. And mommy told her more stories, and showed her pictures of her grandpa. The monsters were real! But.. mommy said she can't tell, or people wouldn't understand. And maybe hurt her and mommy.

 

So Arial didn't tell anyone ever. Never ever ever. When her mom was gone, she still talked about her monster family to her nursemaid, but she used special nicknames so her nursemaid didnt know and was really careful.

 

Today she wanted to hear her mommy's stories, but Miss. Sally didn't know mommy's stories. It was a special day cuz mommy was going to see Pawpaw to see if the special food can help her move more, so she really wanted to feel closer to the family she never ever met.

 

"Miss. Sally! Miss. Sally!" Arial called, gasping a little. The nursemaid looked up from where she was doing embroidery. Miss. Sally was reeeeally old and didn't smile much but had a warm voice and a soft touch so that was okay.

 

"Yes, Melody?" she said calmly. Arial whined.

 

"Miss. Salllllly, I'm Arial. Arial!" she reminded. A thin grin and raised eyebrows were what she got, but Miss. Sally's eyes danced in amusement.

 

"Alright, Arial," she consented. "What is it that you need?"

 

"I wanna hear the Fluffy bunny book? Pleeease!" Arial asked needily. An amused but exasperated sigh left the nursemaids mouth.

 

"Again?" Miss. Sally said, in humored disdain. Arial put on her biiiggest puppy dog eyes, the one that mommy said looked like greater dog.

 

"Pleeeease! Unca Pappy loveses it! And I wanna be like Unca Pappy!" she complained.

 

"You always mention your Uncle Pappy," Miss. Sally said, a curious tone in her voice. "But I've never seen hide or hair of the man."

 

Arial was silent for a long moment, running what Miss. Sally said through her head, before her eyes took a keen look that she hid by looking downward. This would be perfect.. Uncle Pappy's brother would like this. Even though mommy always looked really sad talking about Sans, Arial always thought she might like him, even though his mommy cried about Sans a lot when she thought Arial wasn't looking.

 

"B-but.. Miss. Sally," she said, with a fake quiver in her voice. "I can't see Unca Pappy anymore...He's all bones.. underground." The fake sobs made Miss. Sally really uncomfy looking, but stammered out she would get the book.

 

Looking like a little imp, she grinned at the now closed door, and since she couldn't move her hands anymore, made a noise.

 

"Swish! Get dunked on," Arial said, giggling. "Oh..I better not tell mommy...course Unca doesn't have hide or hair.. he's a skeleton!"

 

**000000000000000**

 

Across the country, in a cave next to the barrier, a fish woman broke down laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning.. of an end.
> 
> Also, someone pointed out Melody is the name in the sequel of the little mermaid. And I've never seen it so I had no idea. 
> 
> And this is why my life is a sitcom. This stuff happens all the time


End file.
